Winter Maintenance Easthampton MA

Whether your typical winter weather is snowy, mild, dry, or stormy, follow these steps to make sure both you and your home survive the cold.

Inside the Home

It’s cold outside during the winter season. Make sure your home is cozy, warm, and inviting.

• Inspect insulation in the attic and crawl spaces
• Insulate exposed pipes from freezing air
• Add heat trace wire to pipes exposed to extreme conditions
• Have heating ducts professionally cleaned
• Have oil heaters or boilers inspected
• Run your humidifier
• Disinfect areas where cold and flu germs collect
• Buy some houseplants to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside
• Service your woodstove
• Lubricate locks
• Consider changing to heavy drapery, as it can help with heat regulation
• Identify areas where more lighting is needed in the dark of winter
• Check for condensation on windows, and consider increasing ventilation if present

Outside the Home

Don’t let the cold air discourage you from taking care of your home’s exterior. If you live in an area with extreme winter conditions, be especially proactive; winter weather is particularly hard on your home’s exterior.

• Check roof for ice dams and water leaks
• Clear roof gutters of debris
• Check outdoor light bulbs, as light bulbs don’t last as long in the winter
• Check your security system for snow, wind, or ice damage regularly
• Shovel piles of snow away from doors to prevent hazards
• Sweep snow off surfaces of carports and sheds to avoid collapse
• Install heat trace wire along the roof’s edge—before it freezes—if ice damming is a problem

In the Garage

Your garage has the biggest door in the house and will need some maintenance during the cold months. Make sure it is in good working order.

• Shovel snow away from the front of garage doors, so cars can get out
• Lubricate springs and hinges on the garage door
• Remove and replace weather stripping at the bottom of the garage door
• Learn how to manually operate automatic garage doors in the event of a power outage
• Clean and seal the garage floor to discourage salt damage

In the Yard

Your yard is probably effected by the cold the most during winter. Make sure it is well taken care of before the coldest weather hits.

• Brush excess snow off of tree branches and shrubs to prevent breakage
• Water evergreens during a freeze-thaw cycle
• Work any heaved plants back into the soil
• Prune twigs and branches away from the house
• Consider using boughs pruned from live Christmas trees to cover garden beds
• Report downed power lines and broken gas lines immediately
• Clear snow from the mailbox
• Avoid walking on frozen grass, which is vulnerable to damage
• Prune apple and pear trees
• Shovel snow from decks to prevent damage to the wood
• Store away any propane tanks
• Wrap or cover exterior faucets

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